Like Bees To Honey :: Na-Da Farm Barn Sale

So this past Saturday I made my way up North  to the Na-Da Farm Barn Sale, for the third time now.
I love this sale.
LOVE it.
I love the location, Anne Marie's farm which is kind of(but not completely) in the middle of nowhere, I love the size of the sale
(not too big and overwhelming but definitely big enough) and I love the vendors that are there, they really do have some really cool stuff there.

I absolutely love the creativity of the booths and of all of the women there, it is amazing and that is really my most favorite part of all of it.
Like bees to honey, women(and some men) from all over the area are drawn to this Barn Sale for some good old-fashioned handmade shopping.
That makes me happy-- women supporting other women and their handmade and/or small businesses, friends spending the weekend doing something fun together.... I am so happy I was able to go again.

This yarn-bombed tree was not at the Farm but in the town nearby that has some super cute shops we always go to.
This Shop is my favorite one if you ever happen to be in the area... which you probably won't.
I love this tree and think I really need one in my yard... and then I remembered that I don't knit.
Oh well.

Now this camper was at the Barn Sale.... Can you even stand it? It was the cutest thing ever and decorated just as cute on the inside.
I LOVED this lady's booth, I was in love with her stuff... which really wasn't surprising to me because I saw a couple of things
in her booth that I have for sale in my shop, too.
If I was to paint a camper, these would be my colors. They are just HAPPY.

I am a little mad that I did not end up buying one of these potted herbs.
Aren't these adorable?! WHO has the patience to make these things?!
I really wish I did.
I loved the little basil plant and if I was going home that day I definitely would have bought one.
Basil is one of my most favorite smells ever. Like, ever.

A few snapshots of a couple of the booths, it was really too crowded to get many good pictures.
And the ducks? Ahhhh... the ducks were so cute. I think I need a baby duck now.
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And a few more of the most awesome vintage shop ever in town.... I think this might be the third time
now that I have blogged that same picture of the hoop wall(last photo).
I can't get enough of it, I really wish it was in my house, that's some of the best fabric ever.

If there is another one in again in October, we'll be there again!
Seriously if you are anywhere near the area, or not even super close at all, you should go check it out.
Then go to the cute little shops in DeKalb, you won't be disappointed.
Oh--and the next time I am there I want to check out Northern Illinois University, we passed by it twice and I wish we would
have had time to stop.
I bet it would be really beautiful in the Fall.

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Lazy Girl Art :: Emily Dickinson

Oh, that Emily Dickinson.
Okay, friends-- I give you... the quickest, cheapest and easiest way to spruce up any empty corner
in your house.
This quote was written with a super-thick black Sharpie on foam board... the cost was virtually nothing.
This foam board is from Hobby Lobby and probably cost me around... $3... BUT it was actually bought and used for
something else first and then I re-used it for this.
So, basically FREE.
I'm kind of addicted to making these now.
This hangs in a corner of my living room by the front door and my other one hangs in the upstairs hallway.
You can see my other one here.

What quote/phrase/saying would you want if you had one of these?
Because I've got an idea...

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Hearts For Days....

I've been cutting out lots of hearts... lots and lots and lots.

And making lots of little garlands.

I can't stop, I think they are so cute.

There are some in the Shop still and I will be adding some more soon.

Sipping my tea, listening to podcasts on Stitcher while cutting + gluing...

It's kind of relaxing.

I'm headed to the Post Office today,  so you still have time to order and have them shipped out today.

Good thing about these little things are that they shouldn't take long to get to YOU at all!

This is how they will come to you--

They can also be sent as a gift with a sweet note inside. 

Happy Monday, hope it's a pleasant, non-stressful, quick + awesome day.

Come back here tomorrow for Coffee, I'd love to have ya.

Lucky Day :: Shopping With Alicia from La Famille

Hi there.
I'm popping in-- a little exhausted, a little full and really just kinda wishing I could stay in my
pajamas for the rest of the weekend,  to tell you where you should go shopping this weekend.
Yes, shopping!
Right in the comfort of your own home, in your pj's.

My sweet blogging friend Alicia, of La Famille has an awesome little Etsy shop, La Famille At Home.
Have you seen it?
It is full of good stuff.
She always has some cool things in there, but right now she has some really cool things in there--
fun holiday stuff.  All handmade.

{ I thought I would show you just a few of my favorites.... }

1. chalkboard gift tags, 2. hand painted sign, 3. polka dot christmas planner, 

4. Home pillow,  5. joyeux noel sign,  6. framed chalkboard

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See what I mean?

I love that little polka dot planner.... just really wishing that Alicia's mad organizational

skills came with it!! That I would pay a lot for. : )

The best part?

Alicia is offering 20% off now through December 15. I love a sale!

Just enter the code lucky13 at check-out.

Now go start your shopping-- and show her some love.

Happy Black Friday, y'all.

Nobody get trampled or arrested today, k?

Simple Things :: Paper Pinwheels

Last week I made these paper pinwheels for the dining room.
Whenever I am out thrifting or rummage sailing I always keep my eye out for old, falling apart books...
the more torn up they are,  the better.
I can't ever justify cutting up good books but I am happy to cut up the old ones.
I save the pages for projects like this and for making banners, wrapping packages or crafts with the kids.

So quick and easy, all you need is :: book pages, scissors, hot glue gun, hole punch and string.
See how to make them here.

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Happy Sunday, hope it's a good one.

Polka Dots + Pumpkin Pies /// DIY

Last week I was cleaning up staring at the mess in my office and came across a few little projects I
have been working on and realized that I don't share too many of my DIY Projects here.
Not sure why?
I think somewhere in the back of my mind I think that there are a million other * better * ones out
there and who am I to be showing others how to make something that they could probably do on their
own anyway...
Isn't that dumb?
Yeah, it is.

So today we will fix that.
Here are two super easy projects I did this week.

Wednesday night after the trip to the Pumpkin Patch that I didn't really have time for, I thought I
would throw in a little random mini pie-making...that I didn't have time for.
I used this recipe from Bakerella as far as the ingredients go but didn't really follow much else
besides that.
It was easy, I didn't ruin them, and that makes me super happy.
And my kids really love pumpkin pie so they were happy, too.

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And here's the shirt I made for Charlotte this week.
I made the polka dots using the eraser end of a pencil; just dip, dot, dip, dot, dip, dot...
So easy.
The only thing I didn't do,  that I should have, was stuck a piece of cardboard inside
the shirt so the paint didn't bleed through.
And actually it didn't bleed through to the back, luckily, just to the inside of the shirt.
So there you have it.
simple + quick + cheap = Love.

Yay for polka dots!
And Fall!
And mini pumpkin pies!
And Friday!!!!!


Hope you have a great weekend.
We are celebrating the kid's birthdays tonight, Charlotte's birthday is tomorrow.
Six.
Sigh.
And don't forget, the huge sale in my etsy shop is going on tomorrow...one day only!
Don't miss it!

Shop News + A Fun Give-Away

This is what I did yesterday.
Lots of cutting and gluing and wrapping.
These are all in the shop now and instead of selling them separately I decided to sell them in sets of
two because they are just cuter that way.
The more the merrier.

I am just loving all of these colors together...and the patterns.
Why yes, I do love flowers and polka dots.

And since I made so many I thought it would be fun to do a little give-away because I never
do anything like that.
So for your chance to win a set of two fabric-wrapped bracelets just leave me a comment here.
You can leave comments through Friday.
And you don't have to do anything else-- no "liking" me anywhere else or coming back here
and telling me that you liked me or followed or loved me or tweeted about me.
Nope.

Just leave a comment on this post and make sure it is attached to your email address.
Pretty simple.

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And there are more fun things in the Shop so you should go browse around there, too.
And have a GREAT Wednesday.

Handmade.

I think the very best kinds of gifts you can give and be given are handmade gifts. My mom's sister made this berry bowl for me and I am so in love with it, so simple but so perfect! No more getting the big colander down to wash my berries anymore. This wasn't a Christmas gift but an unexpected gift (which is even better) and she made it,  which is the best part of all. Knowing that someone took the time to make something special with you in mind is just the best. Next year I am going to challenge myself to making more of my gifts or buying handmade gifts for the holidays, so much better than running to the store and not being able to find exactly what you're looking for anyway. Okay, now I'm off to wash my blueberries in my adorable little berry bowl...don't be too jealous!

Oh yeah...the exception to the rule for my "handmade is best" post is that it is best of course-except   

when it comes to the NEW CAMERA Santa  just ordered for me! WOOO-HOOOO!